title: Effect of fertiliser on functional properties of flour from four rice varieties grown in Sri Lanka.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fertiliser is an essential agro-chemical input in modern rice farming. Fertiliser affects the grain quality and yield of rice. Although much research has been carried out to investigate the influence of fertiliser (recommended NPK addition) on yield and quality of rice grain, little is known about the effect of fertiliser on thermal, pasting, gelling and retrogradation properties of rice flour. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of recommended fertilisation on functional properties of rice flour from four popular high yielding rice varieties grown in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fertiliser (recommended NPK addition) increased the protein content but reduced the apparent amylose content in rice flour except in BG 357. Swelling power and amylose leaching were decreased by fertilizer. [corrected] Pasting onset temperature, cold paste viscosity and setback were increased but peak viscosity and granular breakdown decreased. In response to the fertiliser application, gelatinisation peak temperature was reduced in all varieties except BG 300. However, compared to pasting properties, gelatinisation parameters were not much affected by fertilisation. The extent of amylopectin retrogradation was decreased by fertiliser in BG 305 and BG 352 but unchanged in the other two varieties. Except in BG 305, fertiliser reduced the gel hardness of rice flour but increased the gel cohesiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is apparent that the increased protein and reduced amylose content caused by fertiliser affect the functional properties of rice flour.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, PO Box 02, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gunaratne
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sirisena
authors.forename: Upul Kumari
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Ratnayaka
authors.forename: Jennet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ratnayaka
authors.forename: Xiangli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Lal Peruma
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Vidhana Arachchi
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Corke
mesh_terms: D000687:Amylopectin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000688:Amylose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005308:Fertilizers; D005433:Flour / Q000032:analysis*; D005524:Food Technology; D005782:Gels; D012275:Oryza / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005308:Fertilizers; D005782:Gels; D000688:Amylose; D000687:Amylopectin